Gravimetric methods for the preparation of standard gas mixtures

Abstract

The most widely used method for the preparation of primary standard gas mixtures involves weighing the individual components into a cylinder. We present a new mathematical description of the method and its uncertainties. We use this to demonstrate how strategies for serial dilution can be identified that minimize the uncertainty in the final mixture and show how they can be implemented practically. We review published reports of high accuracy gravimetry and give examples of relative uncertainties in the composition of standards approaching 1 part-per-million in the best cases and in the range of 100 to 1000 parts-per-million more typically.